Oprah Daily Names This National Book Award Nominee One of 'The Best Memoirs That Makes Grief Less Lonely'
- - Oprah Daily Names This National Book Award Nominee One of 'The Best Memoirs That Makes Grief Less Lonely'
Meredith GordonJanuary 3, 2026 at 2:12 AM
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There are few things that can make a person feel more alone than grief. The unsharable experience of mourning a loss can feel isolating, with little relief. For those who are grieving, simply knowing they are not alone can offer much-needed comfort. To shine a light on the often-ignored subject of grief, Oprah Daily named a 2025 National Book Award–nominated title one of the “best memoirs that make grieving feel less lonely.” The book, one of six on Oprah Daily’s list, was published in 2025 and earned both critical acclaim and widespread reader praise.
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In an article for Oprah Daily, writer Charley Burlock names Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li as one of the best memoirs on grief. Burlock writes, “Written in the aftermath of losing both of her teenage children to suicide, Li’s memoir strides confidently through a territory we are told to tiptoe in and fills a void of language with booming insight.” Burlock adds that the book is “refreshingly absent of platitudes, false optimism, or an ounce of self-pity,” offering instead “a vision of maternal grief that is both unvarnished and, ultimately, survivable.”
Awards, Recognition, and Critical Praise
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Released on May 20, 2025, Things in Nature Merely Grow was a finalist for the 2025 National Book Award for Nonfiction and was also named a finalist for the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Nonfiction. The New York Times called the book “a memoir unlike others, strange and profound and fiercely determined not to look away,” naming it to its Best Books of the Year list. Annabel Gutterman wrote, “Transcendent . . . In sparing prose that cuts deeply, Li examines the relationship between language and loss, honoring the sons she carries with her, always.”
Yiyun Li is the author of numerous works of fiction, including Wednesday’s Child, The Book of Goose, Must I Go, Where Reasons End, Kinder Than Solitude, Gold Boy, Emerald Girl, The Vagrants, and A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, as well as the memoir Dear Friend, from My Life I Write to You in Your Life. She is a recipient of the PEN/Faulkner Award, PEN/Malamud Award, and PEN/Hemingway Award, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and is a MacArthur Fellow and Windham-Campbell Prize winner. She teaches at Princeton University.
In a social media post, Oprah Daily wrote, “Grief has a way of shrinking the world. In its early days especially, loss can feel like a private catastrophe unfolding behind glass—untranslatable, unshareable, fundamentally lonely.” One fan simply replied, “Love this.”
Related: New York Times Books Names This 'Stunning Romantasy' One of the Year's Best Hidden Gems
Synopsis and Themes
Things in Nature Merely Grow is a deeply personal memoir in which Yiyun Li reflects on loss, memory, and the persistence of love. Told through philosophical reflection rather than a traditional narrative of mourning, the book explores how life continues after profound grief, offering clarity, candor, and language for emotions that are often left unspoken.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24 hours a day through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Related: Katie Couric Names the First Book She's Reading in 2026: 'I Don't Want This Book To End'
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This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
